Agenda item

Report of the Integrated Care System

The Director of Communications and Corporate Services ICB provided an update on the establishment of the ICS which included: ICB Board appointments, Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) strategy development, delivery portfolios, Place working, provider collaboratives, clinical professional leadership and ‘Working with People and Communities Strategy’.

The following comments and responses to questions were noted:

·       ICB was working with NHS England, who commission the dentistry service, to develop a programme of work to transfer the dentistry to the ICB by April 2023.

·       The link to the ‘Working with People and Communities Strategy’ would be circulated to members, and ICB would present the strategy to a future meeting.

·       Clarification was provided that the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) membership was set in statute and the Board focus was on the provision of health services. The Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) was the local partnership board between NHS and Local Authorities which would set the strategy for how the health and care for people in Staffordshire would be delivered.

·       ICS funding - the impact of social care on health was recognised and more information about financial arrangements to help better integration, such as pooled budgets (e.g. Better Care Funding) would be circulated.

·       Communication – A road show approach was used to inform the public about the Integrated Care Board (ICB). There were links to information through the ICB webpage. Members were encouraged to share links in their District and Borough areas.

·       In terms of addressing inequalities, ICB was reaching out to the public using lessons learned and mechanisms developed during the pandemic. The roadshows varied times to ensure they were accessible to all. ICB was working with voluntary organisations to focus on the right messages and Healthwatch was commissioned by the ICB to reach out to specific communities. It was highlighted that people would want to know how things will change for them, not just about the ICS structures. A suggestion was made about joint commissioning of Healthwatch when engaging public in campaigns.

·       The ICB has taken on board all of the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) transformation programme. The seven portfolios of work would be circulated.

·       The need for the ICB to work closer with District and Boroughs was recognised. It was acknowledged that CCGs had previously asked people to come to them during consultations and ICB would reach the public using ways learned during the pandemic in future engagement.

·       ICB appointments to portfolios had been made in accordance with  NHS England recruitment process.

·       ICB would continue to run the vaccination programme, although slowed down through the summer, there had been a number of popup vaccination walk-in sessions. It was confirmed there would be one at Leek hospital.

·       ICB confirmed that mental health information would be made available in doctors’ surgeries.

·       ICB confirmed that the issue of flow of patients through hospitals was continually looked at and reviewed, a more detailed response about the targets across the system would be provided by the ICS Chief Delivery Officer.

·       Future scrutiny would be of the whole integrated care system, monitoring the development of the ICP Strategy and a focus on the links between the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) Strategy and the Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy which sets the overall ambition for health and care in Staffordshire.

The Chairman thanked the Director of Communications and Corporate Services for her contribution to the meeting. Committee focus was on the importance of communication, residents understand where the linkages are, also the need to focus on the outcomes for residents.

Resolved:

1. That the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the progress report.
   
   
2. That the following items be included on the Health and Care O&S Committee Work Programme:
   1. Dentistry service (March 2023)
   2. Presentation of the Working with People and Communities Strategy (To be confirmed).

3. That further information be circulated to members of the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the following matters:

a.   Link to the Working with People and Communities Strategy.

b.   Link to register to the ICS information roadshow.

c.   Targets across the system on patient flow through hospitals from the ICS Chief Delivery Officer.